1. Field of the Invention
This invention generally relates to computers and to telecommunications and, more particularly, to methods and systems for assigning circuits in a telecommunications network.
2. Description of the Related Art
A telecommunications network often has a network transport for the transmission of data. This network transport often comprises a Synchronous Optical Network (SONET) structure with redundant, multiple rings. As data is transported along the SONET, cross-connections between equipment connected along the SONET (“network elements” or “SONET elements”) must be established so that data and voice traffic is correctly routed.
These circuit cross-connections are manually assigned. Once the individual pieces of equipment connected to the SONET have been inventoried, template records for each piece of equipment must be created. These templates help establish the required cross connections between SONET elements when routing data and voice traffic. The template records uniquely identify each SONET element. These template records, however, must be entered, or “built,” in a manual environment. That is, the information that uniquely identifies each piece of equipment connected to the SONET is entered by hand into databases.
This manual environment is cumbersome. These template records are entered by hand, and then each record must be validated to ensure accuracy. Because there are many SONET elements along the network transport, there is a large amount of records to enter and to verify. These records, additionally, often dynamically change with changes in customer services. The accuracy of these records is then inherently limited by the usual constraints of any manual process: speed and accuracy. The sheer volume of records overwhelms a single person. If an entire group of persons is assigned to share responsibility for the records, the entire group's efficiency is reduced when each member must contribute to the entry and validation efforts. There is, accordingly, a need in the art for quickly, efficiently, and accurately provisioning telecommunications equipment connected along a Synchronous Optical Network.